Italian Chamber rejects amendment to fast‑track Sicily's Nord‑Sud highway

On 4 August 2026, the Italian Chamber of Deputies voted down an amendment proposed by Democratic Party MP Maria Stefania Marino that would have accelerated the completion of the SS117 “Nord‑Sud” road linking Nicosia to the A19 motorway in Enna province, Sicily.

The amendment sought to use existing funds from the PNRR infrastructure programme without adding new state costs. Its rejection was criticised by regional labour leaders Antonio Malaguarnera (CGIL Enna) and Roberto Di Vincenzo (FILT Enna), who called the decision a missed opportunity for the development of interior Sicily.

The right‑wing movement Futuro Nazionale, represented by Carmelo Mirisciotti, also condemned the vote, saying it signals a lack of government interest in the island’s interior and will delay a project that has been awaited for over four decades and is deemed strategic for reducing isolation and improving access to health and other services.